Wetlands Characterization B R Eliza Beth.Hertz@M a Ine.Gov)
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T N A R G S M R A E H D E L N E O H T S k C o T o A r k B o B An Approach to Conserving Maine's Natural o r LEGEND e B k Space for Plants, Animals, and People a n w s e T his m a p depicts a ll wetla nds shown on Na tiona l W etla nd Inventory (NW I) m a ps, but tl o t www..begiinniingwiitthhabiittatt..org d ca tegorized them ba sed on a subset of wetla nd functions. T his m a p a nd its depiction a a R e of wetla nd fea tures neither substitute for nor elim ina te the need to perform on-the- M Virginia ground wetla nd delinea tion a nd functiona l a ssessm ent. In no wa y sha ll use of this m a p Supplementary Map 7 G Lake r dim inish or a lter the regula tory protection tha t a ll wetla nds a re a ccorded under e a t a pplica ble S ta te a nd Federa l la ws. For m ore inform a tion a bout wetla nds cha ra cteriza tion, conta ct Eliza beth H ertz a t the Ma ine Depa rtm ent of Conserva tion (207-287-8061, Wetlands Characterization B r eliza beth.hertz@m a ine.gov). o o Lov ell k k o Keewaydin This map is non-regulatory and is intended for planning purposes only o T he W etla nds Cha ra cteriza tion m odel is a pla nning tool intended to help identify likely r Lake B wetla nd functions a ssocia ted with significa nt wetla nd resources a nd a dja cent upla nds. r e Using GIS a na lysis, this m a p provides ba sic inform a tion rega rding wha t ecologica l v C a services va rious wetla nds a re likely to provide. T hese ecologica l services, ea ch of which o e l B A d L ha s a ssocia ted econom ic benefits, include: floodflow control, sedim ent retention, finfish S T B 35 ha bita t, a nd/or shellfish ha bita t. T here a re other im porta nt wetla nd functions a nd va lues B 5 O A )" r )" N o N not depicted in this m a p. Refer to www.m a ine.gov/dep/wa ter/wetla nds/ipwetfv2.htm l o k Y 5 E )" H T for a dditiona l inform a tion rega rding wetla nd functions a nd va lues. Forested wetla nds a nd A W sm a ll wetla nds such a s verna l pools a re known to be underrepresented in the Na tiona l M P M W etla nds Inventory (NW I) da ta used to crea te this m a p. T he m odel developed to il l Br estim a te the functions provided by ea ch wetla nd could not ca pture every wetla nd ook She function or va lue. T herefore, it is im porta nt to use loca l knowledge a nd other da ta ll Pond sources when eva lua ting wetla nds, a nd ea ch wetla nd should be considered rela tive to B rook Songo Pond-Upper Crooked River the whole la ndsca pe/wa tershed when a ssessing wetla nd resources a t a loca l level. Drainage Shell )"5 Pond Organized Township Boundary Unorganized Township M Selected Town or Area of Interest HA NE L S O EL Upper T ST V O LO Developed: Im pervious surfa ces including buildings a nd roa ds S Bay N T E Bradley O H W Pond A Subwatersheds- T he sha ded, ba ckground polygons a re M Horseshoe )"5 subwa tersheds (a rea s tha t dra in to a pa rticula r la ke, wetla nd, Pond pond, river, strea m , or the ocea n). T he subwa tersheds a re Trout sha ded to show topogra phic relief. T his "hillsha ding" Pond a ssum es the sun is shining from the northwest, so ridgetops a nd northwest-fa cing slopes a ppea r light, wherea s va lleys a nd Kezar Lake Weymouth southea st-fa cing slopes a ppea r da rk. Beca use m a ny a rea s Drainage Pond of Ma ine a re rela tively fla t, the topogra phic relief shown here ha s been exa ggera ted to m a ke the deta ils ea sier to see. M A D EH R Kezar N FO Wetland Functions: Fill Pattern O R Lake ST E Some wetlands may have more than one funtion (fill pattern) k AT oo W " " " " " r " " " " " RUNOFF / FLOODFLOW ALTERATION B Cushman ton Brook " " " " " W etla nds provide na tura l storm wa ter control ca pa bilities. As na tura l ba sins in Cot Heald " " " " " t Pond the la ndsca pe, wetla nds a re a ble to receive, deta in, a nd slowly relea se Pond u o r storm wa ter runoff. W etla nd shelves a long strea m ba nks na tura lly regula te T flood wa ters by providing a n a rea for swollen strea m flows to expa nd a nd slow, e l thereby protecting downstrea m properties. T his m a p a ssigns t t i Runoff/Floodflow Altera tion Functions to wetla nds tha t a re (a ) conta ined in a L S known flood zone, (b) a ssocia ted with a surfa cewa ter course or wa terbody, a nd u Five c (c) with slope < 3%. Charles River k Kezar e r AND/OR Drainage k Ponds o EROSION CONTROL / SEDIMENT RETENTION B o r r W etla nds a ct a s na tura l sponges tha t ca n hold wa ter, a llowing suspended B o en o re Noah G B pa rticles such a s sedim ent to settle out. T he dense vegeta tion in m ost k L l l r B i o O Eastman o wetla nds helps to sta bilize soil a nd slow wa ter flows, thereby reducing scouring S k r M T V a d Pond a nd ba nk erosion. T his m a p a ssigns Erosion Control / S edim ent Retention O E l e W L functions to wetla nds with (a ) slope < 3%; (b) em ergent vegeta tion; a nd y L (c) close proxim ity to a river, strea m , or la ke. B r o ook o FINFISH HABITAT Br k W etla nds with docum ented finfish popula tions, including wetla nds a dja cent to uito osq a river, strea m , or la ke. M W A AND/OR L T SHELLFISH HABITAT s O E rew R nd B V F Inla nd wetla nds a nd strea m s ca n directly a ffect the sta tus of coa sta l shellfish A ro E O o L R ha rvest a rea s. Feca l coliform ba cteria a nd wa terborne nutrients resulting from k L D la nd use cha nges a wa y from the coa st ca n tra vel via surfa ce wa ter to ha rvesta ble fla ts. One fa iled septic system nea r a strea m could close a m udfla t severa l m iles a wa y. Excessive nutrients ca n reduce wa ter cla rity a nd stim ula te epiphytic growth tha t degra des eelgra ss m ea dows. Conserva tion of freshwa ter wetla nds a nd strea m buffers in coa sta l wa tersheds is a key M com ponent in m a rine resource conserva tion. T his m a p a ssigns a S hellfish a r H a bita t function to wetla nds within 0.5 m iles of (a ) identified shellfish ha bita t, t i Middle n (b) identified shellfish closure a rea s, or (c) m a pped eelgra ss beds OR Bay B pa lustrine wetla nds directly connected by a strea m of < 0.5 m ile in length to r o (a ) identified shellfish ha bita t, (b) identified shellfish closure a rea s, or o k (c) m a pped eelgra ss beds. PLANT/ANIMAL HABITAT C Nea rly a ll wildlife species, a nd m a ny of Ma ine’s pla nt species, depend on o Farrington l wetla nds during som e pa rt of their life cycle. For the purposes of this m a p, d Pond wetla nds conta ining open wa ter or em ergent vegeta tion, 3 or m ore wetla nd R )"5 vegeta tion cla sses (see below), a nd within ¼ m ile of a known ra re, threa tened, i v e or enda ngered pla nt or a nim a l occurrence, within ¼ m ile of a m a pped r ok ro significa nt or essentia l ha bita t, or within ¼ m ile of a ra re or exem pla ry na tura l B com m unity ha ve been a ssigned this function. Ra re elem ent occurrences a nd n m a pped ha bita ts ca n be found on Ma p 2 H igh Va lue Pla nt & Anim a l H a bita ts.